ANNAPOLIS, Maryland: Senate Bill 116, the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, is one vote away from moving on to the House of Delegates.

SB 116 is an attempt to alter existing law allowing only traditional, one man, one woman marriages. The bill, if passed, will grant equal rights and protections of marriage to same-sex couples in the state. Maryland would then become the sixth state to grant full marital equality, [1] joining Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and the District of Colombia.

Twenty-three out of the minimum of twenty-four senators have already voted in favor of the act. Senator Conway, one of four senators still undecided, may be the deciding vote for the bill's passage to the House. Conway says she is committed to being the 24th vote, and is "still praying and probably close to making a decision," according to a recent Washington Post interview. [2]

Joan Carter Conway

Below is a listing of Maryland senators and their votes either for, against, or undecided. [3]Allan Kittleman is the only Republican senator currently in favor of SB 116.